Month: October 2011

rooftop wonder from hotel raphael in roma, italy

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The best thing about walking everywhere, while on vacation, is accidentally stumbling upon a gem of a place that you just know you must discover. That’s what happened to me with Day 4 in Rome. I happen to be walking about Piazza Navona, when I noticed an insignificant  small street and decided to take it because I wanted to see what was past the main plaza. About 50 meters in, I came across what was labelled as  Hotel Raphael, a five-star luxury property, hidden behind a wall of leaves. I walked towards the main entrance and was immediately greeted by a bellman, who so kindly waved me inside, even though I am sure he knew I didn’t belong there. He escorted me to a small elevator leading to their roof garden and suggested I have  a drink while I rest my weary feet from all the walking.  Of course I wasn’t going to argue, I simply followed his instructions and rode the elevator to the fifth floor and exited towards a small set of steps …

artichoke heaven in rome, italy

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Outside of the norm of playing tourist in Rome, yup in Rome, Italy, I get to eat the best artichoke salads and appetizers. It’s not like the U.S. when most times the vegetable is served pickled from a Jar or a can. Here they actually take the time to steam it just right, clean it perfectly and serve it my favorite style, a little bit of REAL olive oil and the best of the best Parmesan cheese. I couldn’t stop eating them at every meal and to think for years I opted for Insalata Caprese (tomato and buffalo cheese salad)

fall 2011 outfit pick in neutrals

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There are some colors in fashion that, no matter how hard you try, you cannot go wrong with them. That’s how I feel about neutrals and no matter what, I am always drawn to the hue. So, for that I have added another one of my favorite outfits,  from here  (notice my own interpretation of adding color with the earnings 🙂 ) 1. Earings: Chanluu silver turquoise drop earings $115 2. Top: Burberry brit v-neck cashmere sweater $450 3. Skirt: Marc by Marc Jacobs Roxy Herringbone wool blend $350 4. Bag: Lanvin Miss Santorial Leather bag $2500 5. Sunglasses: Linda Farrow Luxe d-frame watersnake sunglasses $735 6. Boots: Brian Atwood Ami Suede Platform ankle boots $1200

french pick me up in san francisco

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First rain of the season and I must say, it didn’t bother me a bit. It was almost sereal, because although the sun made an appearance through the clouds, it rained almost continuously throughout most of the day. I decided with the rain, I needed to sit in one of my favorite French Cafes for lunch and daydream the hour away.  As soon as I entered the cafe, I was seated at a round marble table near the window and offered a bottle of water and the best French bread and sweet butter on this side of the Atlantic.  While I looked over the menu to figure out what I wanted to order, I began to hear French conversation all around me, from locals and tourists alike. While I sat there smiling, the waiter asked what I was so happy about and all I could do is shake my head as if there was nothing to smile about. However, I couldn’t have asked for a better pick me up on a rainy Monday then to …

my fall 2011 picks from tory burch

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While I was choosing frames for  my prescription glasses the other day, I, like everyone else, tried on at least 20 plus pairs before settling on a Tory Burch designer frames. Since they didn’t actually have a sample of the color I chose, I figured I could get online and see first hand the color I chose blindly. But, instead of finding the actual frames here to get a visual, I found some of my favorite outfits picks. Go figure 🙂 1. Ackly dress $575 2. doreen dress $495 3. tory tunic $325 4. melinda turtleneck $325 5. simone cardingan $225 6. robinson satchel $550 7. belinda bootie $395